Beyond(10)

Who the hell is this guy anyway?

“Lars. Leave,” Dane demands, and Lars escapes like his ass is on fire.

Dane then turns to me. “I don’t know what to do with you.”

The feeling was mutual.





Chapter Six





“I lead your father’s men. There’s an issue, they come to me not him,” he says once we’re in my room, sitting on opposite sides of my bed.

“Okay.”

“And an issue came up,” he says, looking frustrated. “I’m needed. I can’t leave everyone high and dry because of our wedding and I’m sorry if that hurts you but we’re not a love match Olivia.”

I nod, swallowing hard. “You’re right, we’re not.”

And I told my dad I’d be okay with an absent husband. Apparently that started on my wedding day itself. I was being stupid, I knew it. The whims of a woman that was acting like people accused her. I was being selfish. I was selfish to choose a man like Dane. He was important to our community. Maybe I want him because of that, who knew? All I know was that, in this moment, I know just how much I’ve messed up. Just what a position I’ve put Dane in.

I need to get us out of this arrangement.

“Hey,” he says, his voice now gentle. “We can make it work, okay?”

“You sound so sure.”

“I am sure,” he says. “I always get what I want, Olivia. That’s something you should learn about me.”

“And you want us to work?”

He rubs the back of his neck, his bicep flexing with the movement.

Of course my gaze goes right there.

“I do want us to work,” he admits. “I only plan on being married once. It doesn’t matter how it came about, you’re important to me now Olivia.”

I nod. “Okay.”

“Good,” he says. “I’m glad you understand.”

I smile sadly. “Will you take me one day?”

“Take you?”

I nod. “If I had my way I’d be the one leaving the walls. Exploring. Keeping everyone safe. I hate being stuck here.”

His expression turns thoughtful, but then he grins. “You want your old man to kill me?”

I roll my eyes. “You scared of him?”

“No,” he says. “But I respect him.”

“You said you owe him. How so?”

“When did I say that?” he asks, his jaw tightening.

“I overheard you talking to Lars, remember?”

“Right,” he replies dryly. “Do you always hide in the hallways and eavesdrop?”

“Not always.”

He smirks, eyes gleaming. “I was pissed when I first found out, you know? You’re not my usual type.”

I wasn’t going to touch that.

He was my type, and he knew it.

“I saw you one day,” I admit. “You were outside, bare chested and training some men. You were using these big sticks.”

“Turn you on did they?” he replies with a knowing smile.

I clench my jaw. “What I was going to say was, would you teach me? I want to learn. I know enough but not everything.”

“Olivia, your father has told everyone that--”

“You’re going to be my husband, are you not?” I say in a strong tone.

He pushes off my bed and comes to stand in front of me. “You’re a woman.”

“Thanks for noticing.”

“You’re well protected,” he says, reaching his arms out and gesturing to my quarters. “You have a nice life here. Why do you want to go and fight with the men?”

“I don’t have the luxury to sit there and be pretty,” I tell him. “What if the walls are breached? What if there’s a situation where I need to defend myself… my people? No better yet, what do you lose by teaching me?”

Dane rubs the back of his neck. “I’ll make a deal with you. I’ll teach you what you want to know.” He stops and takes a breath. “But Olivia… you aren’t leaving these walls.”

I grit my teeth, but nod.

I’ll take what I can get—for now.





“You were right,” I say to my father. “You need him more than I do. I should have done my research. Surely there is someone else I can marry? You can choose whoever, just not him.”

I let out a deep breath and wait for his reply.

He pushes off my room door and walks towards me, looking down at me. “I did have other plans for Dane, but now it’s too late. Everyone knows the two of you will be married.”

“And soon everyone will know I’ll be saying my vows to Lars instead of him,” I say in a dry tone.

My dad crosses his arms over his chest and studies me. “That was my idea, actually. Dane didn’t want to go but I gave him no choice. Does it really matter who says the vows to you? The outcome is the same.”

Dane didn’t want to go? I wasn’t sure how to process this new information. In my head, Dane didn’t give two shits about me, and sure as hell didn’t want this marriage.

“Why didn’t he want to go?” I ask, aiming for a casual tone.